Research Coordinator

**Classification & Regular Hours**:
Hours per Week: 30

Salary Grade 13: $52,500 - $61,731.43; commensurate with experience

Please note, this is a 2-year grant-funded contract position.

**About Western**:
**About Us**:
This SSHRC Partnership project entitled “Participatory Agroecological Research for Transforming Knowledge and Equity in African Communities (PARTAKE Africa)” aims to strengthen climate resilience in rural communities to improve food security and environmental sustainability through agroecological gender-transformative approaches, using participatory, intersectional feminist and decolonial methodologies in four African countries - Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia.

**Responsibilities**:
The Research Coordinator for PARTAKE Africa plays a central coordinating role, ensuring effective collaboration among researchers, community stakeholders and policy partners. The Research Coordinator will oversee project planning, budgeting and timelines, while facilitating communication across disciplines to integrate scientific, social and local knowledge. The Research Coordinator ensures that project objectives align with funding requirements and deliverables, monitors progress and manages risks. The Research Coordinator will support knowledge mobilization through reporting, workshops and dissemination of findings. The Research Coordinator will help to maintain coherence and accountability, enabling the team to deliver impactful, community-informed outcomes that advance PARTAKE’s objectives.

**Qualifications**:
**Education**:

- Undergraduate degree in Geography, Health Studies, Indigenous Studies or related field
- Master’s degree or equivalent professional designation preferably in Health Geography, Health Studies, Indigenous Studies or related field is preferred

**Experience**:

- 3 years of experience with community-based participatory research methods
- Experience supporting African communities, scholars, and trainees
- Demonstrated project coordination experience
- Experience coordinating and evaluating community-based research projects with qualitative and/or quantitative research methods
- Experience supporting the management of research budgets and monitoring accounts
- Experience working in African smallholder farmers is preferred
- Experience with participatory research initiatives preferred
- Experience with visual research methods (Photovoice, participatory video) is preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

- Strong understanding of global food systems and food sovereignty
- Demonstrated ability to work respectfully with smallholder communities
- Verbal communication skills to clearly express ideas in an objective manner, and adapt communication style to suit the situation and audience
- Communication skills with an ability to complete detailed analytics and reports
- Ability to work in a manner that models best practices in confidentiality standards
- Attention to detail and proofreading abilities with an excellent command of the English language
- Proven ability and natural inclination to develop relationships by interacting with people in a professional, respectful and diplomatic manner
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple research activities and manage research budgets
- Ability to collaborate respectfully with key stakeholders, both internally and externally
- Familiarity with financial principles and budgeting
- Familiarity with techniques for updating, managing and extracting data from a research database
- Project management skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously from conception to completion within tightly prescribed timelines
- Ability to work well under pressure and handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Creative problem-solving and sound professional judgment, especially regarding confidential/sensitive matters
- Intermediate computer skills with Microsoft Office Suite, research databases, and data analysis software Ability to work within a flexible schedule to accommodate the University’s events and activities**Background Checks**:
Please note, successful applicants may be required to produce current record check(s) (e.g. vulnerable sector, criminal record and police information) from a police service prior to commencing employment.

**Western Values Diversity**:
Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

**Please Note**:
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.